The First Step
by Pleck
Summary: LilyxJames songfic. One night of peace in the Gryffindor common room


Disclaimer: Lily and James are JKR's and the song is by Secondhand Serenade

**A/N: I was listening to this song this afternoon and it struck me that it fit well for Lily/James but that I hadn't read any. This is my first fic so be nice R/R! **

_The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting_

_Could it be that we have been this way before_

_I know you don't think that I am trying_

_I know you're wearing thin down to the core_

The Gryffindor common room was unusually silent that evening. Many of the students weren't sure why exactly, but I knew: Lily and James weren't fighting. For the first time in who knows how long, they were at peace. Not only were they not fighting though, but they were actually upholding a normal conversation. In all our five and a half years of school this was _maybe_ the second time I'd seen of them getting along.

Poor guy. I know Lily doesn't think he really likes her, but I can tell. You can see it in the way he looks at her. He's never loved anyone like he loves Lily. Maybe this time, this one peaceful conversation would be enough to wear her down. She's a stubborn thing, that Lily Evens, but you can tell that her resistance wears down a little more each time he asks her to Hogsmeade.

_But hold your breathe_

_Because tonight will be the night_

_That I will fall for you_

_Over again_

_Don't make me change my mind_

Maybe it would be tonight. Tonight will be the night Lily will finally admit she's fallen for him. They seem to be having a good time. She's actually laughing. Lily never giggles like that. Hopefully James won't screw it up again. If he tries to ask her out again the fighting will just continue. Times of peace between Lily and James are rarities, few and far between.

_Or I won't live to see another day_

_I swear it's true_

_Because a girl like you is impossible to find_

_You're impossible to find_

I don't know if he could take it. I don't know if any of us could take him being rejected by Lily yet again. He loves her so much, and she's finally seeing that. He's sworn to me so many times that one day he'll marry her, that one day she'll understand just how impossible it is for him to find a girl like her. He'll never give up, but it seems like she might not either… They're both so freaking stubborn!

_This is not what I intended_

_I always swore to you I'd never fall apart_

_You always thought that I was stronger_

_I may have failed but I have loved you from the start_

Suddenly James looked really upset. His eyes were glazing over and he looked like he might cry. James never cried. EVER. Believe me, I would know. Lily looked nearly as surprised as I felt and I have no idea what they're talking about. It must be deep. Something like his little sister… When he was only four his two month old sister's heart stopped beating. He would have made the best big brother.

I hope he knows what he's doing telling Lily something like this. I know he loves her, but half her time she spends yelling at him and to have someone who so desperately dislikes him know something like this… if she ever lost control, even for a second… she could break him by using information like this wrongly. But Lily just sat there, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

In telling her this story about himself, James seemed to have realized how he had been failing year after year. Trying to impress her, always the same way, by trying to make himself look better. That's one thing teenage guys are slow to realize: sometimes just opening up and being vulnerable is the quickest way to a girl's heart.

_Oh, But hold your breathe_

_Because tonight will be the night_

_That I will fall for you_

_Over again_

_Don't make me change my mind_

_Or I won't live to see another day_

_I swear it's true_

_Because a girl like you is impossible to find_

_It's impossible_

_So breathe in so deep_

_Breathe me in_

_I'm yours to keep_

_And hold on to your words_

_Cause talk is cheap_

_And remember me tonight_

_When you're asleep_

They both looked so upset, the moment was so serious, that of course James had to laugh. At first Lily looked at him like he was ridiculous, but then she started laughing too. It was so sweet. Then they just sat there, in a moment too good for words.

I thought about this dream Lily was telling me about last week, where James was chasing her all over the castle until she ran outside and jumped into the lake. It was a really stupid dream, but I told her about this thing I'd seen somewhere that said 'If you dream about someone, it means they were thinking of you before they fell asleep'. She blew it off as superstition, but I have no doubt James was thinking about her before he went to sleep that night.

_Because tonight will be the night_

_That I will fall for you_

_Over again_

_Don't make me change my mind_

_Or I won't live to see another day_

_I swear it's true_

_Because a girl like you is impossible to find_

_Tonight will be the night_

_That I will fall for you_

_Over again_

_Don't make me change my mind_

_Or I won't live to see another day_

_I swear it's true_

_Because a girl like you is impossible to find_

_You're impossible to find_

They were talking quietly now, probably not about anything in particular. When James looked at her, a serious look in his eye and asked her a question -probably asking her our again- and she hit him. More playful than angry but then she got up, winked at him and walked up to her dorm.

James looked okay though. He knew this was a start and with both of them being as stubborn as they were, that was the most he could hope to ask for.


End file.
